1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a panel mounting system for constructing a wall, comprising a grid of vertically upright C-profiles which are pushed with their lower and upper ends into in each case a horizontally extending U-profile.
2. Description of the Related Art
EP-A 0 761 904 describes a mounting system for panels for facade cladding on buildings. The mounting system comprises profiles and U-shaped hooks which are connected by means of a fastening element to the panel side which faces a building wall. Angle profiles are fastened to the building wall, the longer angle sides of these profiles projecting into the space between side walls of the hook and having punched openings. Bolts, which are fixed in their position in relation to the respective hook, are pushed through holes in the side walls and through the punched openings.
From German Utility Model G 94 16 917.9, a fastening system for compact panels is known, which consists of one or more fiber layers which are hot-pressed together with one another and impregnated with resin and are coated externally on at least one side with a decorative layer. The fastening system makes it possible to mount the compact panels on a basic body, the mounting elements not being visible from outside. The fastening system comprises a profile which interconnects the compact panels and a wall or a basic body, and milled cuts are made in those sides of the compact panels facing the basic body, the cross sections of which milled cuts coincide with portions of the profile.
The core of compact panels has very great strength and can therefore take up great forces without breaking or being deformed. Compact panels or similar panels are used in particular for facade and wall claddings on account of their great weathering resistance and dimensional stability, care being taken that the fastening of the panels to a wall or a basic body is invisible from the outside. According to the state of the art, invisible fastening is brought about by the panels being adhesively bonded or fastened by means of screws. In the case of screw connections, these are made directly to the panels, dowels generally being present in the panels, into which the screws are screwed. Connection to the wall lying behind or to the basic body located behind is effected via, for example, brackets.
From EP-A 0 921 253, a mounting system is known, which consists of basic profiles and connecting profiles which are fastened horizontally to vertical profiles. The vertical profiles are connected to a building wall. Each basic profile has a U-like cross section, in which the upwardly directed leg further away from the building wall is shorter than the leg fastened to the vertical profiles. Each connecting profile has a short, upwardly and downwardly directed leg which is further away from the building wall than a vertical leg which is connected to the vertical profiles. Adjoining the lower end of the vertical leg is a horizontal leg which has a flexible elastic insert at its open end.
According to the state of the art, it is usual to fasten metal hooks in a hole on the rear side of the panels using screws or dowels. The panels are then suspended in metal rails fastened in vertical profiles connected to the wall or to the building. Mounting systems are used not only for facade cladding of building walls with panels but also for erecting partitions which, for example, subdivide a large space into a number of smaller spaces. The panels used for such walls are preferably compact panels and high-pressure laminate panels, but also prefabricated plaster panels, plasterboard panels and similar panels, which are fastened to both sides of a grid-shaped mounting system. By means of such mounting systems, walls are created which have a cavity and the thicknesses of which are predetermined by the dimensions of the mounting system. In the event of such walls being required to provide acoustic insulation according to the standards, insulation can be introduced into the cavities of these walls.
It is an object of the invention to produce a panel mounting system for a wall, which system makes possible simple and rapid mounting of a wall which can vary in its thickness and has good acoustic insulation according to EN-ISO standards 140-3 (1995) and 717-1 (1996).
This object is achieved by virtue of the fact that bracket clips are fitted to outer sides of the mutually opposite legs of the individual upright C-profiles, that the bracket clips are arranged at the same height on the upright C-profiles and are in engagement with rails, and that panels are fastened to the rails.
In a development of the invention, the bracket clip has a base plate with a rectangular outline, and a claw bent off at a right angle is present at each corner of the base plate. By means of these claws, the bracket clip is fitted to a leg of an individual upright C-profile of the panel mounting system. Additionally, the bracket clip is then screwed to this C-profile by means of a screw.
In one embodiment, the bracket clip has in the base plate a rectangular or square opening, in front of which a bracket is located, which extends parallel to the base plate at a spacing of 1 to 3 mm, the bracket forming, with the base plate, a gap with a gap width corresponding to this spacing and, on its lower side, being connected to the base plate.
In an embodiment of the invention, the bracket is congruent on three sides with the opening, and a clear spacing of 2 to 4 mm exists between an upper edge of the bracket and an upper edge of the opening. At the same time, an upper portion, together with the upper edge of the bracket, extends away from the base plate, bent off obliquely.
Expediently, a slot is present in the base plate below the bracket, through which slot the bracket clip can be fastened to the upright C-profile by means of a screw. In another embodiment, a slot is present above the bracket.